The Impossible Task
by Phantom Shade
Summary: Danny faces a task that he had twelve months to work on. Can he complete the task that will deside if he lives or dies in just two weeks?


**Shade: Not again -.-**

**Yes again! This fic sprung from nowhere, but I love the idea, and it's been bugging me all day long. That's what you get for waking up at two in the morning, and think about a boring white box to fall asleep. That stupid white box mutated into this Fanfic.**

**DISCLAMER: I am not Butch Hartman. I did not make Danny Phantom. This was written purely for enjoyment purposes and I am making absolutely no money whatsoever. Now you can't sue me. SO HA!**

**The Impossible Task**

**Prologue **

On a joyful New Years eve, the Fenton household had finished their loud, Ghost involving New Year's festivities, and all retired to their bed, stifling yawns, and exchanging 'Good night, don't let the Ghosties bite!' Danny stuck out his tongue at Jazz when she kept teasing him about that little saying, before locking himself in his room to sleep. But before the 14-year old could sleep, a blue mist escaped his mouth, and he sat upright quickly to see…

Clockwork, the time ghost and one of his few allies. He seemed slightly unnerved, but spoke calmly "Danny. It's nice to see you again. But I'm not here for a pleasure visit"

"When are you ever?" Danny said calmly, sure it wasn't too bad "So why did you come here?"

"It's a private matter that is only between you and me, so we'll talk about it is somewhere more secretive" he said softly, suddenly in the form of an old man. Danny didn't even notice they weren't in his room anymore until he heard the Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock of the many clocks of Clockwork's lair. Two blue rings appeared around the boy, changing from his Human form to Ghost, they were in the Ghost Zone after all, so it only made sense.

"Danny, you know you are different from both Ghosts and Humans. But because of these differences, you are burdened with far more work then a normal Ghost. You get elevated power, and become stronger at a rapid pace. But you feel the need to be heroic. You are nearing Vlad's power, whether you know it or not." He sighed, and pulled out a plain white box. An absolutely boring white wooden box with a golden clasp holding it shut.

Danny nodded at what the Time Ghost said, but was confused. What was the point of that box? It didn't look too special. It looked…well, like a box. "That doesn't seem too important. So why did you bring me here?"

"Did I say I was finished?" he said with some humor creeping into his voice "The problem with you being a hybrid, is that you must perform a task to find out what you really are. That is what his box is for."

"That doesn't seem very fair." Danny complained, betting Vlad didn't have to do this.

"Believe me, it is rather fair. If you didn't take this test, you'd die very violently, most likely coming back as a fearsome attacking Ghost. Mind you, Vlad took this test too."

Danny paled visibly. That brought up painful memories of himself. The evil future of him anyway.

"Listening now I see. For some reason, any hybrid must take a test the year after they become one. But each test is different for each hybrid. It plays on what they hold dear, and their Ghostly obsession." He spun the white box around, showing that it had no markings at all. "This box showed up a few days ago. Being the one to give it to you, I know your task. It will be very difficult, and the consequences of not even attempting the task are _very_ severe."

Danny nodded, too scared to speak quite yet. Severe didn't sound too good. But he had to ask "What's the task then?"

"You need to get eleven people, and yourself to work together. And before you say anything" Clockwork looked at Danny, whose mouth was open to speak "You are the only ghost that can participate." Danny mumbled something impossible to understand, but it was clear he wasn't happy about it.

"I don't see what's so hard about that." Danny mumbled

"You have to chose people that match descriptions listed in this box, in your opinion. This is about _you._ Not Sam or Tucker. You then have to get together on a certain day, which will be in a riddle. Inside the box are colour-coded buttons. Eleven the same colour for your helpers, and a different one for you. How you conduct the people your chose will depend on what happens to you. You are quite literately putting your life in their hands."

Danny's eyes widened. This didn't sound too easy anymore. "So I tell them to press different buttons or something? And why don't you know the different colours?"

"Danny my boy. This is your task. _You_ are the only one that will see the instructions, and this box will not stay plain and white once you start your task. Besides, you are the only one that can open this thing." Clockwork sighed, how many times had he explained that it was his task now?

"Only I can open it? Let me guess, there are rules to this stupid thing too." Danny moaned, his bright deposition fading fast

"Yes, there are. Firstly, you may only tell two people about this. You can only have one blood relative out of the eleven that help you, but you may tell your sister without losing one of the two people you can tell." He smiled slightly as the Ghost-boy did a motion of triumph. "Now for the harder rule. You can't promise someone something you can't give them to join your team, or they no longer count."

"Please tell me that was the last rule." He said absentmindedly, trying to think of ways to get around the restrictions.

"Yes it was." Clockwork said, holding out the box to the distressed boy. He frowned when Danny didn't take it. "You're supposed to take it."

"What? Oh right. Sorry." Danny rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, and took the white box, which shone brightly, and forced the ghosts to cover their eyes. When they finally cracked their eyes open, Danny was surprised to see the box had changed. It was now a deep black, with his infamous DP symbol bright white in contrast, screaming to the world "Look at me!!!" He opened it hesitantly, looking at the contents. His symbol was plastered to the top half, but the bottom was far different. It was also black, with eleven white numbered buttons, with a minute line of gold text underneath each one. The last button was black, far away from the other buttons, and on it declared Danny Fenton/Phantom. He finally stopped staring, and looked at the time Ghost

"This looks harder then you described…"

"Of coarse it does. Shut it and flip it over" Clockwork said

He obeyed, and the gleaming gold text showed two columns. One declared RULES, while the other said PURPOSE AND MOST LIKELY OUTCOME. Danny gulped when he looked under the second one that said 'Certain Death' He looked back to his friend, distressed.

"Don't worry Danny, it only says that as you haven't even started. It will change."

"You said only I could read it?"

"Your face told the story for me. It's quite funny, it took the colours of your Ghost outfit, not your human." The time ghost kept it to himself, but had a small feeling of dread.

"Where am I supposed to hide this thing? It just screams LOOK! DANNY FENTON'S THE GHOST BOY!" he frowned.

"That's up to you. You have twelve months, starting…now."

Danny nodded, and found himself back in his room, clutching the box. He shoved it in the back of his closet so no one would find it "I'll read what it's all about later…" he mumbled, getting into bed, and soon was snoring.

He didn't even look at the box for 11 Months and Two Weeks….

**That's it for the Prologue! I wish to have your opinion on this one, so review!  
(And if anyone cares, I am currently working on another chapter of Lesson, so people that read it, don't worry!)**

**-Phantom Shade**


End file.
